Socially Awkward
by coolsville times
Summary: Laura might be socially awkward but there is one thing she knows how to do. The only problem is, Pietro doesn't know. How will he take it? X-ietro.


_Socially Awkward_

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own X-men, X-men Evolution or the characters.

**Summary:** Laura might be socially awkward but there is one thing she knows how to do. The only problem is, Pietro doesn't know. How will he take it? X-ietro.

**Notes:** Laura joined the Brotherhood after Apocalypse not the X-men.

This is inspired by a conversation I had with Keyko101 about Laura's social awkwardness and a line from chapter three of her fic _"Motivation"_ (Which is a really awesome fic that I recommend to everyone.)

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_Socially Awkward_

People called her dumb but that just wasn't so. Laura Kinney was a very intellectual human being who knew just about everything. She was a human dictionary, knowing the definitions to words some had never even heard of and even though she was younger, she was always helping Todd, the only Brotherhood boy still in high school, with his school work.

Laura wasn't only book smart, before she joined the Brotherhood she had paid her dues on the street and her knowledge of how to conduct oneself on the wrong side of town could most likely rival Gambit's. She had experienced life from many different views, first as a lab experiment, next as an assassin, then as a prostitute on the streets. She knew where to get money, who to get it from, who had the best connections, who tipped well and who a young girl didn't want to hitch a ride from on a dark night.

It was safe to say that Laura was special in more ways than one. Years of hard work and endless training gave her a body to be proud of, her mother genes gave her a beautiful face that could be both angelic and threatening and being used by many different people gave her the smarts and the lingo to get through life no matter what the situation. It seemed that Laura's only flaw was her inability to communicate. She was very socially awkward and she didn't know how to deal with people outside of conducting a business deal. Laura wasn't deaf, though, quite the contrary. Her mutant powers gave her excellent hearing, hearing that let her know what people _really_ thought about her. That was probably why she hadn't stayed with the X-men like Wolverine had asked her to.

When Laura first came back to Bayville, her first instinct was to seek out Weapon-X. She had arrived at the mansion donning her "working girl" attire and a hopeful smile. She wanted so badly to get out of the hole she had dug for herself and Xavier and Weapon-X were willing to work with her. Only a week after moving into the mansion, though, she ran away. She had been enrolled in school, given a room and was training with the X-men but things weren't as peachy as everyone thought. Laura could hear the younger students making comments about her, calling her names and making fun of the way she dressed and the way she acted. Laura was a free unit and she didn't have to take their ridicule. That's when she found the Brotherhood.

Lance and Wanda were the first two members she met and they offered her a place to live. Wanda was four years older than her but was very friendly and thoroughly enjoyed talking to her and spending time with her. Lance was as sweet as he could be, quickly filling the big brother role that had been Weapon-X's position in her short stint with the X-men.

Todd had instantly developed a crush on her and even though Laura didn't have romantic feelings for the high school flunkey, she enjoyed spending time with him. He made her laugh. Freddy was a huge teddy-bear that Laura found she could go to with any and all of her problems. When people talked about her at school, Freddy was there for her to talk to and vent her feelings to.

Lastly was Pietro. Laura didn't know what to make of Pietro and how he acted. He was sweet and caring, acting like he was interested in her but he would always be going on dates with other girls and Laura couldn't understand it. She had talked to Wanda about it but Wanda had told her that her brother was a jerk and that Laura should stay as far away from him as was humanly possible and that he would only break her heart. Pietro was friendly, though and soon he became one of her very best friends and they spent most of their time hanging out together like they were now.

Pietro was currently sitting next to Laura on the couch and they were watching some horror flick that, to be completely honest, Laura found horribly boring. She had seen so much blood in her lifetime that nothing shown in this movie surprised her or scared her even the tiniest bit. Pietro seemed to be enjoying himself, though and Laura guessed that was all that mattered.

Since the movie was boring Laura to death and she had to find some way to occupy her time without letting Pietro know she wasn't interested in his idea of fun, she decided to let her eyes wander. Laura's eyes flicked around the room from Todd and Freddy, who were both asleep, Freddy in his recliner and Todd on the floor in front of the coffee table to Lance, who was talking on the phone with Kitty. Everyone was busy doing something that occupied their time. Laura's ears perked up as she heard the approach of a motorcycle but when the engine cut, she could hear the voices of John and Wanda and she knew that neither of them would be up to helping her escape her boredom. Sighing, Laura stretched and rose from the couch.

Pietro's eyes flicked from the T.V. to Laura and followed her movements as she walked past Lance and into the kitchen. He followed her curiously.

"What's wrong?" He asked upon entering the kitchen. "Don't you like the movie?"

Laura shot him a look from her place atop the kitchen counter and asked: "Truthfully?"

Pietro laughed and walked over to where she was sitting.

"You seem distracted lately." He observed, leaning on the island in the middle of the kitchen across from her.

Laura looked down and kicked her bare feet so that they banged against the cabinets beneath her.

"I guess I'm just bored." She mumbled, kicking her feet a little further out so that they hit Pietro's jean clad legs before going back and hitting the cabinets. He didn't seem to mind.

"All the time?" He asked suspiciously, watching her feet.

"I guess. It just seems that everyone has something or someone to keep them occupied. Wanda has John, Lance has Kitty, Freddy has his poetry, Todd has his long list of crushes, which includes myself and Wanda and you have your horde of girlfriends. I don't have anything." She explained exasperatedly.

Pietro's eyes rose to her face at her comment but hers were still on her feet.

"You have _us_." He said crossing his arms.

"You all have something else, though." She reminded, choosing to dismiss the hidden meaning behind Pietro's words, the hidden statement that lingered there.

Thinking a moment Pietro said: "You have your school work."

"Too easy. I was trained and taught by the government, 'Tro. I'm smarter than everyone at Bayville High including the teachers!" She exclaimed, looking up into Pietro's smiling face.

Only she was allowed to call him _'Tro_ and only she ever would.

"Why do you go to school then?" He asked, looking back down at her still moving feet, trying to wipe the smile off his face.

"To have somewhere to go. Let's face it, my life is boring." She muttered raising her eyes to the ceiling and heaving a big sigh. "Todd tries to get me involved in clubs at school, Freddy tries to get me to go to poetry class with him and Wanda and Lance are always trying to fix me up with some guy! It never works, though."

Pietro's head snapped up at the last part of her statement.

"What?" He asked, hurt and anger coursing through his system.

Laura, detecting the tone of his voice, stopped her kicking, brought her gaze down from the ceiling and looked at him curiously.

"What, what?" She inquired, head cocked to the side.

"Wanda and Lance are trying to set you up with guys?" Pietro half stated, half asked.

Laura nodded and watched as his face contorted in pain. She didn't know what to make of his reaction, she thought he already knew.

"Yeah. They're always trying to get me to go out with one of their friends or someone at school." She explained, watching as he got a far away look in his eyes like he was thinking.

Pietro couldn't believe it. His sister and one of his best friends were working against him? He could understand Wanda's motivation, she didn't know but Lance _knew_ that Pietro had feelings for Laura and he still tried to set her up? Unbelievable.

Pietro had liked Laura for a while now but he didn't know how to approach her, not to mention the fact that she was only eighteen. Even Todd would be too old for her, heck he was going to get kicked out of high school if he didn't graduate this year. Pietro had confided in Lance, told him about his feelings, his reservations, how he didn't really like all the girls he went out with now and how he didn't sleep around anymore and Lance _still _went behind his back and betrayed him.

"How long?" Pietro asked in a hoarse whisper.

"How long, what?"

"How long have they been trying to set you up?" Pietro questioned, the muscle in his jaw twitching.

"A few months now. I'm just not into it." Laura answered, making Pietro's face soften a little. "I don't know if it's because I don't like any of them or just because I don't know how to..." She trailed, searching for the right term.

"What?" Pietro questioned, his anger quickly diminishing. "You don't know how to be _intimate_?" He guessed.

"Intimacy?" Laura laughed. "Sex is the least of my worries, 'Tro. That's something I definitely know how to do." She giggled bringing her legs up on the counter with her and holding them to her chest. "I swear 'Tro, you crack me up sometimes."

Pietro raised an eyebrow in silent question and Laura's giggling ceased.

"You don't know, do you?" She asked, looking down at him in wonder. "I was sure that everyone knew by now."

"Know what?"

"I was a prostitute before I came to Bayville. Didn't Wanda tell you?"

Pietro's expression turned from puzzled to shocked and he quickly shook his head.

"No, I didn't know." He mumbled, looking down.

Laura cleared her throat and decided to continue with their conversation. The best thing to do in a situation like this was to ignore the uncomfortable parts and Pietro was obviously uncomfortable. Laura just didn't want to make things weird between them.

"I don't know how to be in a relationship." She confessed. "I've never had to do that before. All of my previous professions were about keeping things...well, professional. No strings attached, non emotional relationships were best, then I come here and everything's flipped upside down." She stated, eyes on Pietro's face searching for any sign that the old Pietro, the fun loving and impossible to embarrass Pietro was coming back to the conversation.

"I see." He stated, a serious and contemplative look on his face.

"'Tro you're not gonna be all weird now, are you? I mean I never would have said anything if I thought even for a second that you didn't know." She assured, hopping down off the counter and taking a tiny step towards him. Considering how close they had already been, that tiny step left only a few inches between their bodies.

Pietro's eyes met hers and he instantly felt a shot of pain course through him. He _was_ being weird when he should be being understanding, he was her friend and he should accept her no matter what. This ghost from her past shouldn't destroy their friendship but why was it so much different from her other ghosts?

He knew she was a clone and an experiment and that hadn't bothered him in the least. When he had been told one of her past professions was as an assassin, he hadn't batted an eyelash so why was this different? Suddenly it dawned on him. It was different because he loved her. It was different because even though he was too scared to tell her his feelings, in his dreams they were together and in his dreams he was her first, her last, her _only_.

"'Tro?" She started, touching his arm and pulling him from his thoughts.

"Mmm?" He mumbled, looking down into her puzzled face.

"Are you okay?" She asked. She had noticed the glazed over look in his eyes and she knew that he had been thinking. The subject of his thoughts was a mystery to her but it definitely made her feel uneasy that he was taking this so hard. She had always held hopes that maybe he was interested in her too and that he would soon stop his playboy ways to be with her but from his reaction, she gauged that this was not the case. She really needed to stop watching those romantic movies with Wanda.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He assured quickly, hoping to quell her fears of awkwardness.

"Okay..." Laura trailed unsurely, stepping back and looking away. "I'm kinda tired," She started, covering her mouth and faking a yawn. "I think I'm gonna hit the sack."

With that she turned and began to walk away, leaving Pietro with his feelings of guilt. Before Laura could get to the doorway, however, Pietro sped in front of her and pulled her out of sight of the living room. No sense in the rest of the Brotherhood being in on this. Even though they had all been busy when Pietro and Laura had exited the living room, Pietro knew that if there was an argument brewing or a serious conversation going on the guys would drop everything to listen in.

"Look, I'm sorry about my reaction. I was just surprised is all." Pietro apologized, hands resting on her shoulders.

Laura brought her own hands up and grabbed his elbows.

"You don't have to apologize. I know that my past professions aren't socially acceptable and I'm used to this reaction. It takes some time to get used to, I understand." She assured pulling gently on his elbows and dislodging his hands from her shoulders.

"But you shouldn't be used to this reaction from me." Pietro started, quickly grabbing her hand before she could turn and leave. "I just...it's like..." He stammered trying to collect his thoughts.

Laura brought her free hand up to his face and stroked his cheek.

"I'm your friend, Pietro. You can tell me." She stated, using his real name so that he knew she was serious.

Feeling a surge of courage, Pietro took a deep breath and said: "I just always imagined that you were a virgin. I kinda imagined that _I_ would be your first not some random guy living on the east side of New York."

Laura's eyes opened in shock and her hand dropped from his face. She had hoped for this moment, _dreamed_ for it even but now that it was here, her social awkwardness came back and she didn't know what to do. Gently tugging her arm back she freed her hand and made a dash for the doorway. Once again, Pietro stopped her. Speeding up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her middle and lifted her off her feet, carrying her back out of sight.

"I've been too scared to tell you for so long but now that I have I can't let you walk away without knowing how you feel." He whispered over her shoulder, not letting go of her for fear that she would try and run again.

When minutes passed and Laura was still silent, Pietro turned her around to face him, hands resting lightly on her hips.

"Please, say something, anything. Even if it's just 'go to hell'. Give me something to work with." He pleaded, blue eyes staring down into green.

Without another word, Laura launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I...I like you too." She stammered as she pulled back from the embrace. "I don't know how to be in a relationship, but I'll try."

"That's all I ask. And I'll be there every step of the way to help you." He promised wrapping his arms around her.

That's how Wanda found them, standing in the kitchen just holding each other, completely undisturbed by her presence.

"Everyone owes Lance fifty bucks!" She yelled into the living room, making the couple in the kitchen break apart and look at her curiously. "What?" She asked walking to the refrigerator. "They all had bets going; they have a right to know." She stated simply as both Laura and Pietro burst into light laughter.

Laura might have been socially awkward but she knew that she liked Pietro, maybe even loved him and that was all that mattered to both of them. The rest would fall into place later.

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_Fluffy one-shot about Laura and Pietro getting together. I hope you guys enjoyed it and feel like reviewing. Don't forget to check out _Keyko101_'s fic _"Motivation"_; you won't be sorry, I promise. Have a wonderful day all. _

_-anon g._** ;)**


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